Assembly for forming metal furniture structures from interengaging element

ABSTRACT

This invention provides an assembly for component parts which can be easily assembled to form a rigid structure such as the frame of an article of furniture, for example a table. The structure is made up of pairs of interengaging elongate elements, one element of each pair having a channel section and the other having a forked end which fits over the channel section to form a T-unit. The channel section element is formed, preferably by stamping, with an internal abutment for the head of a bolt which passes through the intersection of the elements and holds the latter together.

I; I fiorsi et a1.

ASSEMBLY FOR FORMING METAL FURNITURE STRUCTURES FROM INTERENGAGTNG ELEMENT Inventors: Piero Corsi, Milan; Emilio Turco, Massa, both of Italy Siam 1 2.2 cie a Italian. Arredamenti Metallici S.p.A., Settimo Torinese (Turin), Italy Filed: Sept. 15, 1972 Appl. No.: 289,386

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 10, 1971 Italy 71040/71 US. Cl. 403/237, 52/758 F, 403/271, 403/292, 312/140 Int. Cl. F16m 11/20, A47f 3/00 Field of Search 403/237, 230, 245, 238; 248/1888 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1885 Davis et a1. 403/237 Dec. 3, 1974 501,935 7/1893 Harsha 403/237 1,049,249 12/1912 Martini 403/237 2,018,250 10/1935 Cohan 403/237 2,557,766 6/1951 Ronfeldt 403/237 Primary ExaminerPaul R. Gilliam Assistant ExaminerDarrell Marquette Atlomey, Agent, or FirmSughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn & Macpeak 5 7 ABSTRACT This invention provides an assembly for component parts which can be easily assembled to form a rigid structure such as the frame of an article of furniture, for example a table. The structure is made up of pairs of interengaging elongate elements, one element of each pair having a channel section and the other having a forked end which fits over the channel section to form a T-unit. The channel section element is formed, preferably by stamping, with an internal abutment for the head of a bolt which passes through the intersection of the elements and holds the latter together.

3 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures Pmmmw 3W j 3.851.981

SHEET 10F 5 Fig. 2

111/ 7 III/III! PATENT EL E 74 SHEET 20$ 5 ASSEMBLY FOR FORMING METAL FURNITURE STRUCTURES FROM INTERENGAGING ELEMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to assemblies or kits of component parts for making metal furniture.

An object of this invention is the provision of a kit or assembly of component parts capable of assembly to form metal furniture such as tables, chairs, shelving and the like which is of simple and economical construction, easy and practical to assemble, and which is, when assembled, mechanically strong and stable.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an assembly of the aforesaid type, capable of a wide range of uses, while being made up of a small number of component parts.

I SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION rnent which constitutesa reaction support for a tie member-adapted to hold the two elements tightly interengaged.

The present invention in another aspect also provides a table formed from an assembly of component parts and comprising:

a. four channel section elongate first elements having divergent sidewalls;

a monolithic portal structure having a cross piece and two ve'rtic al 'supports each of which comprises a second elongate element extending upwards a short distance beyond the cross piece and each of which has two forked ends, the internal profile of each forked end being complementary to the external cross-sectional profile of each said first element; i c. a tie member adapted to hold said first and second elements interengaged with the forked ends fitting over respective portions of the first elements, said first elements forming respectively two lower horizontal base arms, and two upper horizontal table top supports parallel to each other;- d. a table top, and e. screw fixing means affixing said table top to the ends of said two upper channel section table top supports. V

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be'described, merely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a pair of elements fitted together and forming partof an assembly according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the assembly, taken along the line II II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the assembly from below;

FIG. 5 is a second cross section of the assembled ele ments, taken along the line V V of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view from below of one of the said elements;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section of the element of FIG. 6, taken along the line VII VII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a table made up of an assembly of component elements ac cording to the invention; I

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the said table when assembled;

' FIG. 10 is a partial cross section on an enlarged scale, taken along line X X of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a detail of FIG. 8, showing the parts thereof separated;

FIG. 12 is a partial cross section, taken along the line XII XII of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line XIII XIII of FIG. 8 with the component parts separated, and

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a detail according to a variant of FIG. 13, with the component parts shown separated.

The same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to designate corresponding component parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS The illustrated assembly of elements according to the invention consists of pairs of elongate elements shaped so as to fit together at right angles to each other. FIGS. 1 4 show a typical pair of such elements, a first one of which, 1, has a channel section with divergent sides, and a second of which, 2, has a rectangular section with a forked end 4 the internal profile ofwhich is complementary to the external cross-sectionalprofile of the first element 1. In the embodiment illustrated, the second element 2 consists ofa rectangular section tube extending vertically, whilst the first element 1 is ofa com.- posite type having a bridge piece 3 of channel section with divergent side walls 3a which fits into and interconnects two channel section strips la placed horizontally with their longitudinal axes aligned, the two strips 1a having flat substantially parallel side walls.

The bridge piece 3 has a curved wall interconnecting its divergent side walls 3a and disposed uppermost in the normal position of use of the first element (FIG. 4). The said curved wall of the bridge piece 3 has an aperture 5 in correspondence with which respective longitudinally extending slits are provided in the two side walls 3a, the side walls being deformed laterally inwardly between these slits and the aperture 5 to form respective recessed portions 6 symmetrically on opposite sides of the aperture 5, each recessed portion being bounded at the respective slit by an edge 6a which forms a reaction abutment for the head 7a of a tie bolt 7 used to secure the two elements I and 2 together.

The tie bolt 7 has a long stem which extends longitudinally within the tubular element 2 and passes through the aperture 5 of the bridge piece 3. The bolt 7 cooperates at its end remote from the head 7a with a nut 8 which reacts against a surface of another element 1' at the opposite end of the second element 2 (FIG. 8).

The complementary profiles of the forked end 4 and thechannel section bridge piece 3 are shaped so as to be tightly interengaged by friction upon assembly of the elements 1 and 2 so that the latter remain interlocked even in the absence of the bolt 7.

The adjacent ends of the two channel section strips la spanned by the bridge piece 3 form two shoulders 9 facing towards each other. When the second element 2 is fitted on to the bridge piece 3 the shoulders 9 abut opposite faces of the said element 2. The two channel section strips 1a have symmetrical inwardly projecting lips 1b at the edges of their depending side walls.

The two elements 1, 2 can be made from sheet metal, in which case the composite element 1 may be formed of pieces of sheet metal welded together as indicated by welds 3a in FIGS. 5 and 7. Alternatively the composite element 1 may be made from cast metal, plastics material, or the like.

The side walls 3a of the bridge piece'3 are formed with laterally outwardly projecting lips 3b, which in the parts of the bridge piece 3 which fit into the channel section strips 1a slide upon and are engaged with the lips lb of the strips.

The structure described above can be used for making a table, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The table is assembled from a monolithic portal structure 10 consisting of a horizontal elongate cross piece 11 and two vertical supports consisting of tubular elements 2, the upper ends of which project slightly above the horizontal cross piece 11. The lower and upper ends 4, 4 of the elements 2 are forked, and are interengaged respectively with two lower elements 1 and two upper elements 1', the four elements 1, 1 each having a channel section and being connected to the elements 2 as previously described. The two lower elements 1 constitute two base arms of the table and the two upper elements 1' a support for a table top 13.

As shown in FIG. 10, each end of the horizontal cross piece 11 of the portal structure is fitted into an opening made in a side wall of one of the vertical tubular elements 2 and is secured to the latter by means of welds 12 which are easily accessible from the outside.

A single tie bolt 7 interconnects each element 2 to the two horizontal lower elements, 1, 1' which extend transversely. The head 7a of each bolt 7 engages in the respective lower element 1, and the respective nut 8 bears against the respective upper element 1.

The two faces 13a and 13b of the table top 13 have a high degree of finish, so that in the event of-wear or damage to one face the top 13 may be inverted to make use of the other face.

The table top 13 is fixed to the upper elements 1' by means of screw elements 15 each of which, as shown in FIG. 11, consists of an externally screw-threaded hollow metal bush provided at its upper end with an.

outwardly flared rim 16 in which diametrically opposite incisions 17 are formed for engagement by a screwdriver.

The table top 13 has at its four corners throughholes 14 which are designed to receive respective said screw elements 15, the holes 14 being countersunk at their upper and lower ends by symmetrical bevelled edges 14a, 14b. The threaded bushes of the screw elements 15 engage in respective internally screw-threaded rings 18 welded to the internal surfaces of the edge lips 1'!) of the upper elements 1 at opposite ends thereof.

The opposite ends of the channel section elements 1, 1' are closed by plugs 19 of plastics material, each of which consists (FIG, 12) of a tubular portion 20 adapted to be inserted, by the application of light pressure, into the channel of the respective channel section strip l'a, and an outer end wall 21 which abuts the end of the respective element when the plug 19 is pushed fully home. The tubular portion 20 has a longitudinal slit 22 which allows it to be flexibly distorted, and a circular hole 23 for the passage of the respective screw element 15.

The lower elements 1, forming the two base arms of the table support, are each provided at their opposite ends with adjustable feet. Each said foot consists (FIG. 13) ofa threaded bush 15, similar to those used for fixing the table top 13 to the upper elements 1', the said bush 15' having a countersunk lower 'end enclosed in a cap 24 of plastics material which is applied over the flared rim 16' which constitutes the same countersunk end. Each foot screws into an internally threaded ring 18 fitted to the respective channel section strip la, and also cooperates with a locking counternut 25 which bears against the bottom face of the ring 18.

Instead of having adjustable feet, the table base may have screwed bushes 26, as illustrated in FIG. 14, fitted with vertically downwardly projecting axial pins 27 which engage in respective sockets of automatically castoring wheels 28.

The internal cavities of each screw-threaded bush used as the screw element 15 for fixing the table top 13 to the upper elements 1', can also be used, as illustrated in FIG. 9, for attaching additional elements on to the table top, such as shelves, drawers, or the like, shown generally in broken outline at 29, such additional elements having hooks 30 the end of which fit vertically into the cavities of the said bushes.

A table of the type herein described and illustrated can be dismantled so that the parts from which it is-assembled can be packed as a kit of parts in a box of small dimensions, which is advantageous for transit and storage.

Assembly of the table from such a kit of parts can be carried out very quickly and easily by the user as and when required.

It will be appreciated that many variations are possible'in practical embodiments and details of construction of this invention with respect to what has been described and illustrated, without nevertheless going beyond the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly of component parts adapted to be assembled to form furniture such as tables, shelving and the like, said assembly comprising at least one first and second elongate elements adapted to fit together, the first element having a channel section with divergent side wallsand the second element having a forked end, the internal profile of said forked end being complementary to the external cross-sectional profile of the first element and a tie member adapted to hold said elements tightly interengaged upon assembly thereof, said first element being of sheet metal and including a cut out portion in each side wall which are deformed inwardly with respect to said side walls so that the edges of said cut out portions define an internal abutment within said first element which constitutes a reaction support for one end of said tie member.

, 2. An assembly 'as set forth in claim 1 further comprising two channel-section strips having flat substantially parallel side walls, said channel-section strips being fitted over and welded to opposite sides of said first member with the opposed ends of said strips being spaced apart to define shoulders which engage and locate the forked end of said second element.

' 3. An assembly of component parts adapted to be as sembled to form furniture such as tables, shelving and the like, said assembly comprising at least one first and second elongate elements adapted to fit together, the

first element having a channel section with divergent side walls and the second element having a forked end,

and locate the forked end of said second element. 

1. An assembly of component parts adapted to be assembled to form furniture such as tables, shelving and the like, said assembly comprising at least one first and second elongate elements adapted to fit together, the first element having a channel section with divergent side walls and the second element having a forked end, the internal profile of said forked end being complementary to the external cross-sectional profile of the first element and a tie member adapted to hold said elements tightly interengaged upon assembly thereof, said first element being of sheet metal and including a cut out portion in each side wall which are deformed inwardly with respect to said side walls so that the edges of said cut out portions define an internal abutment within said first element which constitutes a reaction support for one end of said tie member.
 2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 further comprising two channel-section strips having flat substantially parallel side walls, said channel-section strips being fitted over and welded to opposite sides of said first member with the opposed ends of said strips being spaced apart to define shoulders which engage and locate the forked end of said second element.
 3. An assembly of component parts adapted to be assembled to form furniture such as tables, shelving and the like, said assembly comprising at least one first and second elongate elements adapted to fit together, the first element having a channel section with divergent side walls and the second element having a forked end, the internal profile of said forked end being complementary to the external cross-sectional profile of the first element, a tie member adapted to hold said elements tightly interengaged upon assembly thereof, and an internal abutment provided in said first element which constitutes a reaction support for one end of said tie member and two channel-section strips having flat substantially parallel side walls, said channel-section strips being fitted over and welded to opposite ends of said first member with the opposed end of said strips being spaced apart to define shoulders which engage and locate the forked end of said second element. 